Every one of us
must conquer himself; and we may do so, if we take conscience for our
guide and general.
No one really fails who does his best. Seneca observes that "no one saith
the three hundred Fabii were defeated, but that they were slain," and if
you have done your best, you will, in the words of an old Norse ballad,
have gained
"Success in thyself, which is best of all."
Being myself engaged in business, I was rather startled to find it laid
down by no less an authority than Aristotle (almost as if it were a
self-evident proposition) that commerce "is incompatible with that
dignified life which it is our wish that our citizens should lead, and
totally adverse to that generous elevation of mind with which it is our
ambition to inspire them." I know not how far that may really have been
the spirit and tendency of commerce among the ancient Greeks; but if so, I
do not wonder that it was not more successful.
I may, indeed, quote Aristotle against himself, for he has elsewhere told
us that "business should be chosen for the sake of leisure; and things
necessary and useful for the sake of the beautiful in conduct.
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